"Just get in the freaking car! I think it's high time you and I have some serious talk!" William noticed his dad's angry mood and though he acted all unafraid, he knew better than to piss off his dad that much and so, he quietly got into the car.
Elena watched them drove off with Sophia hugging her softly, "They'll be okay honey." She tried to reassure her shaken daughter, though she herself was worried sick inside.

Chapter 28 – "The better man"

Damon watched the brooding young boy sitting on the park's bench. He used to bring William there as a kid but it seemed so long ago. His son was becoming a man and not in the best way. He barely recognized his little boy who reminded him of himself at this age – something that worried Damon more than he would ever admit. He had no idea how to handle his own son and that was something that killed him because he wanted to help him more than anything. He just didn't know how. So, he did the only thing he could do at that moment, he patted William's shoulder, trying to soothe the boy into telling him what was going on.

"Her name is Anna…"

Damon breathe in slowly, feeling between joy that his son was finally opening up but also felt scared of what he might hear. Was she pregnant? Had William managed to get a girl pregnant in high school? Was him trying to walk away from it? All these thoughts started to stir in Damon's mind and he had to restrain himself from shaking William's into telling him what the hell was going on!

"What happened William?" Damon tried to hide the anguish in his voice but failed visibly as William chuckled at his dad's expression.

"Don't worry dad. She is not pregnant. Even less by me given I am probably the person she despises most."

Damon turned around finally to look at his son. Was this girl the reason his boy had been so not-himself lately?

"Okay buddy, tell me everything and mostly why would that girl despise you most." Damon saw the pained look on his son's face which reminded him, strangely, of himself at the time he had fallen in love with Elena but thought she hated him.

"She is amazing dad! She is so beautiful and simple. And witty. But a girl like her wouldn't even think about a guy like me. I am reckless and stupid and I do stupid things…She thinks so low of me and who blames her? I am the high school one night stand guy. I don't care about people's feelings and I hurt everyone, including my own family. And I was a fool to think she could give me a chance! I mean look at me! I spell trouble! I AM trouble.
I just wish I could prevent myself from feeling the way I feel about her…" William's said his last sentence in nearly a whisper.
Damon let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He had thought the most horrible things when all that was about was his son being in love for the first time.
"Son, did I ever told you about your mom and I?"

William looked at his dad weirdly, not understanding his dad's point.

Damon chuckled lightly at his son's questioning look.
"You see son, your mom hated me when she first met me…" William's eyes nearly fell out at his dad's confession. As long as he had known his parents, they had always been utterly and hopelessly in love, even when they were fighting, they still loved each other. He could not imagine a time where his mom hated his dad.

"Yeah I know hard to believe but it's true. You see, I worst than what you think is bad. I was the ultimate jackass. I was the guy who didn't believe in relationships, had thousand of one night stands and bragged about his money, thinking that was all life was about…Until I saw her."

William seemed captivated by his dad's story. His mother's continuous rambling about how alike he and his dad were was finally clicking and he understood why she always seemed unhappy about that. He couldn't help but smirk at that.
"Well, long story short, she gave me a hard time, and I actually had to put myself out there and show her I could be worthy of being with her… William, you're my son, I know you and this, this young boy with this disturbing attitude, it's not who you are. Okay, I'll probably be less awesome after I say what I am about to say, but I think your mom's exact words back them to me were, 'Be the better man Damon'".
Damon watched as William smirked at him and say, "Nah, you're still awesome dad, although, I probably am more awesome than you."

"Damn, you're really my son." Damon said, laughing at his son's antics.
"Any doubt about that old man?" William said playfully.
Though he was still scared about facing Anna and his feelings, he felt lighter. His dad had always been his best friend and he always found the right things to say. Not that he would ever admit that to his dad, the latter already had an oversize ego.
"Alright rebellious teenage boy, as much as I love hanging out with you and having conversations about your heart's trouble, I have a wife and two other kids waiting for me. So let's go. You even get to drive this time." Damon winked at William whose mouth was wide open. He never let anyone drive car, not even Elena.
"I'd prefer you driving with your mouth close though mini-steffy."

"Hey, don't call me that! I am not like Uncle Steffy! I am tough" William said, pouting.
"Yeah, so tough Mr I-am-in-love but she hates me." Damon teased his son.
"Haha you're one to talk Mr-Be-The-Better-Man", William smirked back.

Father and son drove back home smiling to meet with a worried sick Elena. Sophia had gone to bed, not without some heavy cooing of her mother. Elena was nursing a crying Blake and she was unsuccessfully trying to get him to calm down.
She heard chattering and laughing and saw her son and her husband walking in with smiling faces and though she was curious to know what happened, she was reassured. Clearly, Damon had been able to get the truth out of William and that was enough to make her lighter. She had been scared that things would go down badly given the strong character of those two.

"Give him to me babe. Time for me and my little guy to spend some quality time together. After all, he is my favorite", Damon said, smirking at William, clearly teasing his eldest kid and loving every minute of it.
Elena huffed at her husband antics, but couldn't help but giggle when William replied back.
"Huh dad, you wished. But we all know you love me more. Too bad, my little brother likes me more than you. Just like my mom, right ma?" he said flashing his Salvatore smile to his mom – the smile that always managed to get him out of trouble when he was a kid.
"You know it", Elena said, winking at William, leaving Damon gaping with Blake who had stopped crying, slowly falling asleep in his dad's arms.
William hugged Elena, whispering a "sorry mom" before heading upstairs.
"I probably should get this little one to bed too," said a smiling Damon, taking Elena's hand and leading the three of them upstairs.

-
"So…am I going to know what finally happened to him…" Elena asked tentatively as Damon lie back on their bed, running his hand in her hair while she rested her head on his chest lovingly.
"You're right when you say he's like me in more ways that we realize…Let's just say that our son has finally found someone he feels is worth him changing for the better…And that this time, it's going to take more than just a smirk and show-offs for him to have what he wants…"

"Oh MY GOD! DAMON! MY BOY IS BECOMING A MAN! HE IS IN LOVE! I KNEW IT!" Elena squealed, making Damon chuckled at his wife's reaction.

"Not so loud Lena! Or he's going to kill me and you'll be a widow! You'll miss that hot body so much then" Damon teased her.

Elena chuckled and kissed him, a kiss that quickly turned into a hot make-out session and soon both were panting and moaning and all their problems were forgotten, at least for this little while.
-

At school the next day

"Hey Anna…Hmm can I talk to you please?"

"Wouldn't that stain your bad boy reputation to be seen with, what was it again you said last time, oh yes,'a lousy loser'?"
William breathed in deeply, he knew it was not going to be easy. And though she was giving him a hard time, that was what had actually attracted him – she called him on his crap and was not afraid of him at all.

"I am sorry for calling you that. It was uncalled and untrue. And I would really like to make it up to you…"

"What games are you up to now Salvatore? Do you really think that with your smile and your blue eyes and your stupid conceited smirk you're going to actually fool me?" Anna was rambling now, as much as she hated to admit it, William's closeness was affecting her. He had hurt her badly because she loved him, secretly but she did, for years now. He just never looked at her in that way…He barely even acknowledged her…until now that is. His blue eyes were boring into hers, as if he was piercing her soul and she felt herself melting slowing, though she tried to resist.
"Look, I know, I am a jerk, the guy you hate the most, and you probably has a thousand reasons to do so while I don't have much excuse to explain all those crap I've done. But, somehow, you have gotten under my skin and you're all I think about. And though I don't deserve you, I promise you that if you give a chance, I'll be the better man…For you. Please Anna, I am practically begging now…" William had this desperate look, but deeper, he seemed, sincere for once, and Anna heard the words coming out of her mouth without her realizing, "Okay…"